Book 37: Death By Black Hole by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

I found all the essays in this book rather interesting, some more illuminating than others, but ultimately wonderful and well-written.

It hasn’t got any mathematics to drive people away and it’s in bite-size pieces so one can read one essay from the end, one in the middle etc. and you’d still understand what he’s writing about – mostly astronomy.

There are 42 chapters or essays in the book, and since they’re not really all that connected then it’s rather difficult to describe what they’re all about in all but the most general terms….

The essay I liked the best was about “the fear of numbers”. It’s about how some high buildings don’t have a 13th floor and go from 12 straight to 14, and how planes don’t seem to have a 13th row of seats… Well, that’s not really fear, it’s superstition, but I find it funny. (FYI May 13th is a Monday – Beware! Mwuahaha [evil laughter] :D) Though the fear of numbers is tragic.

Dr. Tysons style of writing is as cool as his talks, so enjoy this one: